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Title 22, Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-102

§617 Liability of Officers

Title 22 › CHAPTER 11 — FOREIGN AGENTS AND PROPAGANDA › SUBCHAPTER II — REGISTRATION OF FOREIGN PROPAGANDISTS › § 617

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

Officers and directors of an agent that is an organization (not an individual) must make that agent file a registration statement and any updates required under section 612(a) and (b). They also must make the agent follow the rules in sections 614(a) and (b), 615, and other parts of this subchapter. If the organization is dissolved, those officers and directors still must meet these duties. If the agent fails to follow the rules, the officers and directors can be prosecuted.

Full Legal Text

Title 22, §617

Foreign Relations and Intercourse, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Each officer, or person performing the functions of an officer, and each director, or person performing the functions of a director, of an agent of a foreign principal which is not an individual shall be under obligation to cause such agent to execute and file a registration statement and supplements thereto as and when such filing is required under subsections (a) and (b) of section 612 of this title and shall also be under obligation to cause such agent to comply with all the requirements of section 614(a) and (b) and 615 of this title and all other requirements of this subchapter. Dissolution of any organization acting as an agent of a foreign principal shall not relieve any officer, or person performing the functions of an officer, or any director, or person performing the functions of a director, from complying with the provisions of this section. In case of failure of any such agent of a foreign principal to comply with any of the requirements of this subchapter, each of its officers, or persons performing the functions of officers, and each of its directors, or persons performing the functions of directors, shall be subject to prosecution therefor.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

section 7 of act June 8, 1938, prior to the general amendment of that act by act Apr. 29, 1942, provided for the

Effective Date

of the 1938 act. See

Effective Date

note set out under section 611 of this title.

Amendments

1950—Act Aug. 3, 1950, continued the obligation of officers, directors, and persons acting as such to comply with this subchapter despite the dissolution of a foreign agent. 1942—Act Apr. 29, 1942, amended section generally.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1942 AmendmentAmendment by act Apr. 29, 1942, effective on the sixtieth day after Apr. 29, 1942, except that prior to such sixtieth day the Attorney General may make, prescribe, amend, and rescind such rules,

Regulations

, and forms as may be necessary to carry out act Apr. 29, 1942, see section 3 of act Apr. 29, 1942, set out as a note under section 611 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

22 U.S.C. § 617

Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102